Lot 161: An Italian Bronze Group of Roger and Angelica, by Ferdinando Tacca (1619-1686)

second half 17th century, Florence Angelica seated on a tree trunk and originally grasping the magic ring in her right hand, her left arm outstretched, Roger partially draped in a tunic and wearing a helmet and standing with his arms reaching to his right, his right foot resting on a rocky outcropping, upon naturalistic shaped base, with modern conforming wood base.

measurements note height 17 1/4 in., width 18 3/4 in.; 43.5 by 47.5cm

Les Bronzes de la Couronne (exh.cat.), Musée du Louvre, Paris, 12 April to 12 July, 1999, p.162, no. 281.RELATED LITERATUREA. Radcliffe, 'Ferdinando Tacca, the missing link in Florentine Baroque bronzes,' in Kunst des Barok in der Toskana, Munich 1976, pp14-23.

Sold Sotheby's London, July 7, 1988, lot 62

PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTOR
The present bronze is the third known variant of this composition attributed to Ferdinando Tacca. Another variant was in the 1791 inventory of Louis XIV's collection and is now in the Louvre (see Radcliffe, pp. 15-16, fig. 2, op.cit.), and a further one was sold at Sotheby's New York, Peter J. Sharp Collection, January 13, 1994, lot 57. Radcliffe (op.cit.) discusses this composition clearly linking it, and similar two-figure groups, to Ferdinando Tacca, on the basis of style and technique. The careful, heavy punched decoration on the ground and tree trunk in swirling bands is typical of Ferdinando's individual treatment and is comparable to that employed in the foreground of his relief of the martyr Saint Etienne in Santo Stefano in Florence. The facial types and theatrical postures are also extremely close to those in the relief, as well as to other compositions by the artist. Ferdinando Tacca was both pupil and assistant to his father, Pietro Tacca, until his death in 1640, and succeeded him as the primary sculptor to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, taking over Giambologna's former foundry and studio in the Borgo Pinti. He completed two of his father's commissions, the statue of Ferdinando I de Medici for the Cappella de Principi, San Lorenzo, Florence and the equestrian statue of Philip IV for Madrid, contributing four bronze lions to the base (now lost). His most celebrated works are the Fontana del Bacino, Prato (1656-65) and the great bronze relief of the Martyrdom of Saint Stephen presented in 1656 to the church Santo Stefano el Ponte in Florence. The present subject is taken from Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso (1516) and illustrates the moment immediately after which the Saracen hero Roger has rescued the princess Angelica from the monstrous orc. The magic ring, which he has given her, protects her from the magic shield with which he slays the orc. However, the beautiful maiden swallows the ring to make herself disappear and escape from her savior's lecherous advances. Tacca produced another bronze in the series from the same source, Angelica and Medoro (Radcliffe, op.cit., p. 20).